EKB News

The Floyd County Fiscal Court approved the tax rates for 2007.


Floyd County Property Taxes

Property tax 11.90 per $100 assessed
Personal tax rates 12.70 per $100 assessed
Motor vehicle and watercraft taxes 19.70 cents $100 assessed
Aircraft 2.06 cents per $100 assessed


Library District
Real tax 4.3 cents per $100 assessed
Personal tax 7.43 per $100 assessed
Motor vehicle 2.23 cents per $100 assessed
Watercraft 5.3 cents per $100 assessed

Conservation and Extension Agency

Property 1.60 cents per $100 assessed
Personal rates 2.39 cents per $100 assessed
Motor vehicle 1.10 cents per $100 assessed.

Federal mine safety violations have been dismissed against two people indicted in August for unsafe conditions at a Pike County mine.

US District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove dismissed charges against 47 year-old Mitch Lester of McCarr, and Bill Vanover, 36, of Lovely.

Lester and Vanover have agreed to cooperate and assist the prosecution in their case.

Three other defendents that were indicted Ire land Williams of Louisa, Dean Francis of Belfry and Monroe Maynard of Lovely are set to go to trial Oct 15th.

The alleged violations occurred Jan 2004 to Dec 2005 at the James H. Taylor Mining, Inc, # 1 mine near Turkey Creek.

The violations include actions such as the deep cuts of coal in violation of the mine’s roof control plan, excessive widths of rooms, mining into old work mines without an approved plan, not cleaning up coal dust , installing required fire sensors along the belt line but not electronically connecting them and allowing miners to carry smoking materials and permitting them to smoke in the mine.

Each violation carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison , a $10,000 fine.

A drug sting at a Magoffin County motel lands two behind bars. UNITE detectives arrested 27 year-old Ashley Minix and 25 year-old John C. Whitaker both of Salyersville were apprehended at 8:30 am this morning at the Parkway Motel on route 460.

The detectives were given permission to search the room. Authoriites discovered 80 mg Oxycontin tablets along with 58 Adipex tablets.

Adipex is a stimulant similar to an amphetamine that is used as an appetite suppressant.

A monumental press conference will be held outside the Pike County Courthouse, Thursday morning at 11am. Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo will file a class action lawsuit against Purdue Pharma the maker of oxycontin. The suit will be filed on behalf of Pike County. Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford said that the taxpayers of Pike County deserve their money back. Rutherford says that the county has had to spend money alot of money on the drug epidemic. Rutherford added that their has been four overdoses due to oxycontin within the last month.

The press conference will be aired beginning at 11am on 93.1FM WDHR, 96.5 WXCC and 900/960 Talk Radio. 900 AM WLSI and 960 AM WPRT Prestonsburg.

Tax rates for 2007 have been set by the Pike County Fiscal Court, Pike County Board of Health, Pike County School System, Pike County Extension Service and the Pike County Public Library District.

Pike County Fiscal Court

10.3 cents per $100 assessed value on real property.
11.0 cents per $100 assessed value on personal property
14.0 cents per $100 assessed value on motor vehicles and watercraft

$0.02 per acre for fire protection


Pike County Board of Health


4.0 cents per $100 assessed value on real property
4.0 cents per $100 assessed value on personal property
4.0 cents per $100 assessed value on motor vehicles

Pike County School System

45.9 cents per $100 assessed value on General Fund real estate
46.7 cents per $100 assessed value on tangible personal property

Pike County Extension Service
1.5 cents per assessed value on real property
1.78 cents per $100 assessed value on appraised personal property
1.4 cents per $100 assessed value on motor and watercraft


Pike County Public Library District

6.6 cents per $100 assessed value on real property
8.16 cents per $100 assessed value on personal property

A Elkhorn City Police radio that was stolen about a year and a half ago has been recovered by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities tracked down the stolen police device this past weekend. Two men from the Millard area were talking on it. The Sheriff’s department told us that the accused were saying that shots were fired and an officer was down . Charges are expected to be filed. The two men face charges of impersonating a police officer, and possession use of a police radio .

Two Pikeville men remain lodged in the Pike County Detention Center on a $20,000 full cash bond. David and Chris Parsons of Road Fork are accused of stealing catalytic converters off of five vehicles that were parked near Bypass Road.

The Pikeville City Police Department charged the two men with with criminal mischief, receiving stolen property and possession of burglary tools.

Police confiscated the five converters along with tools that were used to commit the alleged crimes.

The thefts of catalytic converters are rising. Thieves sell the converters to junk yards to get money because of the copper and titanium.

Police continue to search for a man that robbed the Robinson Creek Branch of the BB&T Bank. According to the Kentucky State Police, a man wearing a full black helmet and armed with a handgun entered the facilitythis morning at 9:24 am. The subject fled the scene with an undetermined amount of cash.

Authorities found the suspects’ motorcycle abandoned about one mile from Sugarcamp Road.

The suspect is described as being 6 feet tall with light colored hair. He was wearing a black full motorcycle helmet, grey hooded sweatshirt, jogging pants and black gloves with the nike logo.

No one was hurt.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident contact the Kentucky State Police at 433-7711.

A Pike County man was killed in an ATV accident that occurred Saturday on Little Robinson Creek Road . According to the KSP the victim was Billy R. Davis, 44, of Lookout. The driver 40 year-old Lisa Stewart, of Rose hollow was transported to UK Hospital where she is listed in serious condition.

The police report said Stewart apparently drove off the roadway and into a creek. Davis and Stewart were not wearing helmets. Police say charges might be filed against Stewart pending the outcome of blood tests.

The Kentucky State Police responded to a fatal motorcycle accident Saturday afternoon at the Right Fork of Brushy. Police identified the victim as 12 year-old, Austin Blake Allen, of Millers Creek Road.

According to a police report, when Allen attempted to leave the roadway and enter a yard the victim struck an embankment which caused him to be ejected from the dirtbike and strike a tree. Allen was not wearing a helmet.

The Kentucky State police responded to the Gas Mart in the small Floyd County community of Garrett. Police were advised by an employee that a male wearing a ski mask was armed with a weapon lurking behind the store.

Police arrived two minutes later. When Trooper Shaun Little arrived at the scene, he heard a shot fired. Little found the suspect, 18 year-old Kyle Hicks behind the Gas mart. He was arrested without incident. Hicks is charged with attempted arm robbery, wanton endangerment and alcohol intoxication. Hicks is being held in the Floyd County Detention Center.

The incident ocurred at 7:34 Friday morning.

Gerald Robinette, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager announced the cmpany's plan to upgrade service in the Floyd County community of Auxier. With a new tower location going up in the area, Robinnete says that it will improve cellular service in Auxier, East Point, portions of Route 321, 23 and 3.

Appachian Wireless has 100 cell sites that serves over 29 counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.

Pikeville Medical Center recently rewarded 1,700 employees with a whopping pay raise and extended benefits package.

PMC President and CEO, Walter E. May said " It's the PMC way of rewarding the great people who have made Pikeville Medical Centerthe finest hospital in the country."

Pikeville Medical is giving the employees a five percent pay raise. The new benefits package also lets employees and covered family members visit a PMC physician without any co-pay. coverage for orthodontics doubled to $2,000 per person, also at the choice of the employee that person could be paid double time for working on a holday.

" It is going to be very hard to find an employer anywhere that can come close to the pay raise and extended benefits package that we are providing." May added.

The Logan City Police Department has made a second arrest in connection with 64 year-old Jimolee Workman . Police apprehended Amanda Carter. Authorities allege that Carter assisted her boyfriend Sherman Houston in the gruesome killing. Police say that Workman was repeatedly beaten in the head.

A preliminary hearing for an off duty Kermit police officer who was allegedly intoxicated amd out of jurisdiction when he chased down five Logan teenagers and confronted them at gunpoint. Another court date for 25 year-old, Stanley Messer hasn't been rescheduled.

Messer is charged with three misdemeanors : public intoxication, four counts of brandishing a gun and obstructing an officer.

Messer was let go by the Kermit Town Council for failing to submit an application to the West Virginia State Police Academy within 90 days of being hired.